


Confounding Factors

by kuro1neko2kun



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec is too awkward to fix things, Clubbing, Fill for the shadowhunters ficathon, M/M, Mistaken Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-30 03:37:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6407170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuro1neko2kun/pseuds/kuro1neko2kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You thought I was someone else and started making out with me at a club and you’re really hot so I just went with it and now we’re heading back to your place and idk how to break it to you"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Misdirection

**Author's Note:**

> fill for the [Shadowhunters Ficathon](http://ladygawain.livejournal.com/83265.html?page=6#t1023553)

Alec hates club nights. Everything is loud and obnoxious, and it smells kind of like sweat and alcohol. The bathrooms are disgusting, people are weird and rude. He's not even sure why Izzy and Jace insist on dragging him with them, since they always abandon him within minutes of entering the club and he ends up alone at the bar drinking water and waiting until he can drag his siblings home.

"There you are!" A stranger is suddenly touching his arm, and Alec startles, barely catching his glass before it spills all over him, "I've been looking all over."

"I-" He's about to tell the stranger that he has the wrong guy when there's suddenly lips on his and _oh_ that's a tongue. The stranger pulls away with a flirty grin, and Alec stutters incomprehensibly when he gets a good look at him. 

The stranger is Asian, and _very_ attractive. He glitters even in the low lights of the club, and has more makeup on than Izzy did when they left the house.

"You didn't tell me you were so attractive when we arranged to meet tonight." The stranger is leaning in, and Alec can't help but look down at his lips.

"I-um. What? Who are you?" 

"We've been emailing for weeks, Will," The stranger leans back a bit, "Don't tell you don't remember my name."

"Err.."

"You're lucky you're so hot," Alec blushes as the stranger leans in, warm breath brushing against his ear, "I'm Magnus."

"It's...nice to meet you?" Alec can feel his face warming, "But I think you may have the wrong-"

"This is nice and all," Magnus gives no indication of hearing him, as he gestures around the club, "But I believe you promised me something a little more _intimate_."

Alec shivers at the suggestive look.

"Come back to my place?" Magnus stands and holds out a hand.

"Um..." Alec considers a short pros and cons list, glancing around the club for his siblings. Jace is flirting with a tiny redhead, and Izzy is wrapped around a man in one of the booths. She looks over at him, takes in the situation, and mouths _go_ at him when he meets her eyes.

_Fuck it_. "Sure," He stands, finding himself towering over Magnus, who winks up at him.

"This way." Magnus leads him out of the club, to the underground parking lot across the street. Alec pulls out his phone to send a quick text to Izzy.

_Leaving. Jace has my spare keys, drive yourselves home. If drunk, please take a taxi._

He bumps into Magnus, who's stopped in front of a red car.

"Sorry." Alec steps back, and Magnus turns to look up at him with a grin.

"Couldn't wait to get your hands on me, huh?" He fishes a set of keys out of his pocket and presses a button to unlock the car, "Don't worry, I live pretty close to here."

"Ah, about that-"

"What are you waiting for, get in." Magnus interrupts him, already standing on the driver's side with the door open. Alec hurries to the passenger door, folding himself nearly in half to get in.

"So, Will," Magnus turns the key in the ignition as Alec is buckling his seatbelt, "You have any condoms on you?"

Alec splutters, surprised at Magnus's forwardness.

"Don't worry, I have some at my place," As he pulls out of the parking lot, Magnus settles into seriousness, "And just to be clear, I do have to insist on them. At least until we get to know each other better."

"I... Yea, no, I agree." Alec may not be the most experienced, but at least he and Magnus can agree on this.

"So, before we get there, I just have to warn you. My cat, Chairman Meow, is a little... Crazy," 

"You have a cat?" Alec, at this point, has just about given up on correcting Magnus about his mistaken identity. Whoever Will is, he's missing out. Besides, its not like he's ever going to see Magnus again...

"Yea, he's adorable. But seriously crazy." Magnus grins, pulling into a parking spot in front of a nice looking apartment building, "If he doesn't like you, he'll let you know. Hopefully you're a cat person?"

"Yea, I have a cat myself," Alec unbuckles himself, and lets himself out of the car, Magnus coming up behind him a moment later.

"Oh?" The car beeps and they head into the building, Magnus in the lead.

"Yeah, his name's Church. He can be...grumpy. But he likes me well enough." Alec looks around the lobby of the apartment building as they wait for the elevator, "My sister thinks its voodoo because he absolutely hates her."

"Well, hopefully you'll be able to work some of that voodoo on my cat if he comes out," An old woman steps out of the elevator, and Magnus shifts to let her by before getting into the elevator. Once the door closes, he leans into Alec flirtatiously, "I know you've already worked it on me."

"That-um. Is nice?" Alec's not quite sure how to respond, but he's saved by the doors of the elevator opening, an electronic voice announcing the sixth floor.

"It is indeed," They make their way into Magnus's apartment.


	2. Prelude to a Walk of Shame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things escalate.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Magnus gestures around the apartment and drops his coat over the back of an armchair, "Let me take your coat and then I can give you the _tour_."

Alec shivers at the suggestive tone, pulling his coat off and handing it to Magnus, who hangs it on a hook on the wall before stepping into Alec's space.

"So, I think this tour should start with the bedroom, unless you have any objections?" 

"No, I think that's a great idea," Alec leans down, pressing their lips together like he's been thinking of doing since they left the club. Magnus responds immediately, leaning up to meet him and winding one arm around his neck, the other sneaking down to caress his hip.

"Shall we?" Magnus's lips are red, shiny with spit as he gestures towards the back of the apartment where Alec can make out two doors. The low key arousal that's been simmering in his gut intensifies.

"Lets."

Alec lets Magnus pull him towards one of the doors, taking only a few seconds to take in the room   before they're kissing again, tongues sliding against one another. He smooths his hands down the back of Magnus's shirt, feeling the muscles of his back shift up. Magnus pushes him back until his knees hit the bed, pulling away momentarily.

"You're so tall, I'm gonna get a crick in my neck." 

"Sorry." Alec hunches over slightly at the comment.

"It's okay, we'll just have to be creative," Magnus grins at him and pushes at his chest, "Sit."

He listens, and once he's situated on the bed, Magnus slides onto his lap, straddling him so they're on the same level.

"Much better." 

Magnus leans in again, and Alec steadies him with a tentative hand on his hip. Magnus smirks against his lips and guides his hands down. His jeans are starting to get a little tight, even more so when Magnus sinks down further, pressing open mouthed kisses down his neck and stopping once he gets to the collar of his shirt.

"Mmmm, as much as I like how this shirt looks on you, I think it would look even better on my floor."

Alec chuckles breathlessly and leans back, pulling his shirt over his head and blushing slightly at the appreciative sound Magnus makes.

"We should probably even this out a little," Alec points out, reaching down to twist the hem of Magnus's shirt between his fingers.

"Ooo, well if we're gonna play it like that-" Magnus grins and steps back off the bed, shucking his shirt and pants and tossing them to the floor, "Now look, we're uneven again. Whatever shall we do?"

"Well," Alec eyes him appreciatively, noting that his briefs are sparkly, and concealing absolutely none of his impressive package, "We can't have that."

"Mmm, no we can't," Magnus watches him with dark eyes as he stands to pull off his jeans, undoing the button and zipper slowly and pulling them down. A hum, and Magnus is stepping forward again, hands smoothing over his chest and down his back.

"So, how do you want to-um-do this?" Alec asks.

"Depends on how far you want to go," Magnus looks up at him through his lashes, "I'm good with most things, but I'll let you know if you do something I don't like. I know you mentioned you hadn't done much in your emails, so I'll leave that up to you. Tell me if I do something you don't like and I'll stop. But I think-" A push to Alec's chest, "We should start by getting back on the bed."

Alec nods and lets Magnus push him back down, huffing at the first brush of skin on skin as Magnus settles over his lap. His hands bracket Magnus's hips, sliding around to squeeze his ass. Magnus groans appreciatively, and Alec leans up to kiss his neck, sucking lightly as one hand slides up his back to steady him. Magnus's hands smooth over his shoulders and his head tips back, letting Alec lick a stripe up his neck. 

-

Alec is woken up by a cat stepping on his face.

It's still dark outside, and Magnus is asleep, so he extracts himself carefully from the tangle of limbs and blankets that they had managed to get into and felt around in the dark for his clothes. He finds the rough material of his jeans first and reaches into the pocket to check his phone.

_2:30am  
4 unread messages_

He uses the phone to find the rest of his clothes, slipping into his underwear and tugging on his jeans before spotting the grey of his t-shirt half hidden under the bed. He sets his phone down on the bedside table and pulls it on, catching a glimpse of Magnus's peaceful sleeping face when he goes back to grab his phone. He feels a pang of regret, but he really shouldn't overstay his welcome, and it's not like Magnus even knew his name, so…

He sneaks out of the loft, shoes in his hands and jacket draped over his arm.


	3. The Embarrassment Continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two months or so later, they meet again. It really is a small world.

"…and this is Magnus, a family friend." Alec can hear Clary, Jace's new girlfriend introducing him to people, and Alec almost drops his phone in shock at the familiar face over by his brother. Magnus is smiling politely at Jace, and he hasn't seen him yet. Alec wonders if he'll be able to get away without talking to him at all. 

"What's got you panicking over in a corner now, big brother?" Izzy's voice is teasing, and he looks at her hopefully.

"Think you can get me out of here without raising a fuss?" Izzy raises an eyebrow.

"What-," She looks in the direction he's been sending panicked glances to and smirks, "Isn't that the guy you picked up at the club a couple months ago?"

"Um. Yes. Sort of. It's complicated." Alec ducks behind a tasteful flower arrangement just in time, as Magnus is looking around with boredom, having been abandoned by the lovebirds.

"What do you mean it's complicated? It was a one night stand! That's like…the opposite of complicated. And do you really have to leave? This is an important night for Clary, and you promised Jace you'd stay. It's not every day that you get to go to the opening night of your brother's girlfriend's art exhibition. Plus, Simon is playing with his band tonight… I think they settled on Ambidextrous Biscotti tonight."

"It's not Jace's show. And we've known Clary for barely two months, it's not like she'll miss me if I leave." Alec stays behind the flowers, arms crossed.

"I look like I'm talking to the floral arrangements Alec, just come out. It'll be fine. And you promised Jace, who is your brother and loves you dearly." Izzy frowns at him, reaching forward to grab his arm.

"I can't! Seriously! I will literally die of embarrassment if he sees me." Alec leans back to avoid her hand, arms dropping to his sides.

"You're being such a drama queen! And I'm not letting you get out of this."

"Please, Izzy?"

"No." A calculating gleam appears in her eyes, "Unless you wanna tell me the whole story…"

Alec glances around the plant and ducks back when he sees Magnus, huffing with defeat.

"Fine. To make a long and not-entirely-appropriate-for-my-baby-sister's-ears story short; He may have mistaken me for someone else and maybe I slept with him." He holds up his hands at Izzy's exasperated look, "In my defence, I tried to correct him, but somehow I didn't manage to get the point across the first couple times I tried. So I gave up. Also, he's really hot. You know how I am around attractive people."

"You're hopeless." Izzy sighs, "And I will help you, this time. But you're going to seriously owe me."

" _Thank you_!" Izzy glances over at Magnus again and beckons.

"Come on, he's looking away, I think we can get around to the back door without him seeing us."

Alec nods and hurries through the room, intent on getting out as quickly as possible, Izzy following along behind him.

They get about half way to the door when things go awry.

"Alec, where do you think you're going?" Simon stands between him and freedom, and Alec irrationally considers how he might be able to shove him out of the way and make a break for it.

"Um." Alec glances behind him, but Izzy has somehow gotten caught up in a conversation with some old ladies, "The bathroom?"

"Bzzzt, bathroom is that way," Simon points back the way Alec came, and Alec gives a sigh of defeat, glancing behind himself to check if Magnus has spotted him.

"Is he already trying to escape?" Jace steps up behind him and great, now he's boxed in, "Alec, I know you hate these kinds of things but you _promised_ you'd stay for this."

His window for escape is rapidly drying up.

"Alec! There you are!" Clary steps up and Alec turns, coming face to face with the person he wanted to see least of all at this party, "This is Magnus! Magnus, this is Alec Lightwood. I told you about him, remember?"

"I do indeed remember, Biscuit." Magnus's voice is still unfairly attractive, "Hello there, _Alec_ , it's nice to meet you."

"Um. Hi." Alec shuffles in place, and Clary beams at them.

"You guys have a lot in common, so I'll just leave you to talk. I still have to introduce Jace to Luke, so we're gonna-" She gestures, and then they're gone, Simon heading off to who knows where, leaving Alec and Magnus alone (or as alone as you can get in the middle of a party).

"So, _Alec_. Is that short for anything? Alexander, perhaps?" Magnus drawls, cradling a drink in one hand.

"Y-yea." Alec hunches his shoulders.

"Funny you didn't think to say anything the last time we met." 

"I tried-" Alec starts to protest, and is silenced by Magnus's finger over his lips. He crosses his eyes to look at it.

"I supposed we may both share some of the blame there. But really, you couldn't have introduced yourself at some point in the night." Magnus frowns at him, and Alec shrugs hopelessly.

"I did try. I just…" Alec wonders if the ground could do him a favour just this once and open up and swallow him, "Things happened so fast and, well… by the time we got to your apartment it was a little late."

"Hm." Magnus leans back and sips at his drink slowly, "Why did you leave in the dead of night?"

"Um. Isn't that what you do? After-um. One night stands." Is his voice getting louder, or is that just him?

"I suppose…" Magnus eyes him, and Alec can't help but fiddle with the hem of his shirt, feeling overly self-conscious with the weight of Magnus's gaze on him.

"I'm seriously sorry. I usually wouldn't- well. I'm not actually sorry for sleeping with you, but I definitely shouldn't have let you think I was someone else the whole time. I should have tried to introduce myself or something, or just tried harder at the club to correct your misconceptions, but you're just so attractive, and I hate going to clubs so much, and well…"

Magnus sighs, holding up a hand and Alec gratefully stops the outpouring of words from his mouth. After setting the drink aside and straightening his jacket, Magnus holds out a hand.

"You know what, let's start over. My name is Magnus Bane."

Alec stares at him for a second before he figures out what Magnus is doing. He takes the hand in his, giving it a firm shake.

"Alexander Lightwood. But please, call me Alec."

"Well, Alexander, would you like to go for a drink sometime?"

"I'd…like that." Alec smiled at him shyly.

"How about after this?"

"Sounds great."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm debating continuing with an epilogue type thing, but this is the end for now!


	4. Accidental Voyeurism

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably not the epilogue you guys had in mind.

Simon hums to himself as he ascends the stairs of the Lightwoods' house, looking for Izzy. Jace said she was… Three doors down, to the left?

He pauses to adjust his shirt in the mirror, running a hand through his hair to smooth it down before counting the doors.

One.

He wipes a sweaty palm against his jeans.

Two.

Almost there.

Three.

He knocks. There's a brief pause before he hears a faint 'yes' through the door. He takes that as an invitation to open it.

And stumbles back, eyes covered when, instead of Izzy's lovely face, he sees the broad expanse of Alec's bare back, Magnus's hair peeking out beneath him.

"Oh God! Wrong door! Wrong door! I'm sorry!" Simon, eyes still covered, pulls the door shut quickly, hearing Alec yelp and Magnus's chuckles.

Through the door, he can still faintly make out their conversation.

"Oh come one, he closed the door." Magnus's voice has a faint whine to it.

"But-"

"You're not just gonna leave me like this! Finish what you started!" Simon wonders how he's ever going to be able to look either of them in the eyes again without thinking of this moment.

"Magnus-" A quiet groan, and then the creaking of bedsprings. Simon's face is on fire.

"Simon?" Isabelle's voice rings out behind them, and he whirls around to look at her, "What are you doing in front of Alec's door?"

"No-nothing! Is this Alec's door? I had no idea. Let's go. Quickly. Come on." Simon tries to power walk towards the stairs with dignity. Isabelle giggles at him.

"Jace answered the door, huh?" 

"How-"

"Because my room is at the end of the hallway to the _right_." She grins, "Plus, he knew Alec and Magnus were over and we hadn't seen them in about half an hour."

"He knew-!" Simon's not sure how he's going to get Jace back for this, but it _will_ happen. Revenge will be sweet.

"Probably." Isabelle bumps their shoulders together as they make their way down the stairs, "Ever since they got together at Clary's party they've been sneaking off all the time to fuck. Although, considering how they met, that might not be so surprising." She smirks.

"I thought they met at Clary's art exhibition…"

"Oh, no one told you the story yet?" Isabelle pulls a coat out of the hall closet and they head out, "So, Alec's still embarrassed about it, but this is a hilarious story. It all happened about 3 months ago when Jace and I dragged Alec to that club he hates…"


End file.
